Russia Tells US to Prove Absence of Ractopamine in Meat Products

RUSSIA - Russia has said to the US that can only restart exports of turkey meat to the Russian federation if it supplies additional information about laboratory controls to confirm that ractopamine is not used in production.
calendar icon 18 March 2013
clock icon 3 minute read

In a letter sent by the Deputy Head of the Russian veterinary authority Rosselkhoznadzor Eugene Nepoklonov to the Deputy Administrator Services Food Safety and Inspection (FSIS) USDA Ronald Jones in response to the US request that the market reopens, the Russian authority said it requires a full description of the US research methods for ractopamine residues in meat products, including turkey meat, spelling out their sensitivity, the limit of the detection methods and the frequency of monitoring studies.

The letter said that trade could resume if the laboratory techniques were explained and were in line with the national legislation and international agreements.

Rosselkhoznador said that the methods for the detection of residues of ractopamine had to be confirmed by the results of the testing method using high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (HPLC).

Currently, Russia permits the detection of residues of ractopamine in products in the range of 0.1-1 mg/kg.

Guidance on the definition of testing of ß-agonists in animal feed, body fluids, organs and tissues of animals, using high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection have been sent to the American side.

In addition, the letter said the Russia authorities are ready to hold technical consultations and Rosselkhoznadzor said it would welcome the resumption of the supply of pork and beef after providing effective guarantees about the absence of ractopamine.

The letter also asked for information about companies interested in supplying their products to the Russian market.

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